Posted on 07/05/2012 5:58:14 PM PDT by doug from upland
A jury today acquitted a San Francisco man of felony charges that he beat up and abused the cleric he says brutally raped him decades ago.
The jury found Will Lynch not guilty of felony elder abuse and felony assault for a confrontation with Rev. Jerold Lindner two years ago. It also found Lynch not guilty of misdemeanor elder abuse, but deadlocked 8-4 in favor of a conviction on misdemeanor assault.
The verdict was a triumph for Lynch, now 44, and his supporters, who faithfully picketed outside and packed the Santa Clara County courtroom as the assault trial -- normally a brief event -- stretched over three weeks. From accusations of prosecutorial misconduct to a confrontation in the hallway between the priest and one of his alleged molestation victims, the trial was roiled by disruptions.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
So has the priest ever been charged or convicted of any of the alleged sexual assaults?
Jury nullification is a constitutional doctrine which allows juries to acquit criminal defendants who are technically guilty, but who do not deserve punishment.
For any of us who have followed the story on John and Ken, we would have voted the same.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/05/california-man-acquitted-assaulting-retired-priest/
Santa Clara County prosecutor Vicki Gemetti repeatedly told the jury of nine men and three women that she sympathized with Lynch and even conceded Lynch was molested. But Gemetti insisted that even the most unsavory of victims — drug dealers, wife beaters and child molesters — deserved equal protection under the law.
Was called to give a deposition a couple weeks ago about the pervert priest who tried many times to molest me over 40 years ago.
Seems he never quit his ways and molested kids in the last couple of years that finally had adults believe their story and are now going after this creep.
My dad called me a liar when I was a kid when I told him what the pervert priest was doing
Happy adults are listening better these days
Hope these perverts get some HELL on earth before they go to the Hell they obviously don’t believe in
Even happier to see one of these perverts face his accuser now.
I'm surprised that the judge didn't declare a mistrial right there for the jury even asking that question.
I'm ready to forgive Will Lynch - AND allow him to meet other priests who have raped children.
After Lynch's 50th time or so - beating the sh*t out of these pervs, I'll still 'forgive' him...
He who is without sin can cast the first stone - the rest of us will keep giving him a thumbs up and a ticket to the next parish...
Contrary to liberal spin, the Meese commission was not initially aimed at pornography in general, but primarily human trafficking. Throughout the early and mid eighties the Meese Commission coordinated several huge international busts of pedophile rings operating through computer bulletin boards.
As these cases became public, the sheer numbers of victims made the long held societal belief that child rape was rare and only happened to girls when it did occur untenable.
Interesting choice of subjects in your photograph, considering NEITHER of those two men have never even been accused of sexual abuse.
And is some cases to recognize that the legal system is broken and approve of vigilante justice.
This isn't always a good thing.
Thanks for sharing that about Meese.
There are zero aspects of government that are “always a good thing.”
Though not perfect, jury nullification is an important part of the checks and balances built into the Republic the founders gifted us with.
A part well worth fighting, killing, and dying to preserve.
Against all enemies foreign and domestic.
KarlInOhio ~ I'm surprised that the judge didn't declare a mistrial right there for the jury even asking that question.
Me too. The last two times I was called for jury duty, both Hizonners made it crystal clear to the entire pool that 'any talk of this jury nullification crap would NOT be tolerated in their fair courts'
Zatso? Select me for a case that depends on an unconstitutional law and see for yerself, sir.
Yes. It’s always a balance between too much governance and anarchy.
This opens the door wide to everyone feeling that they are better than any legal process.
What's interesting is that there were District Attorneys and Police chiefs who DID know about the abuse in the Boston Diocese in the past, long before Cardinal Law ever set foot in Boston, but who chose not to prosecute the abusive priests. That could have been because two of the priests in question were big Democrat supporters. The Boston Globe never bothered to include that information in their diatribes against the Church.
DO NOT misunderstand my statements. I believe if a priest is accused, he should be removed from access to children, an investigation needs to be done immediately, and if there is sufficient evidence that the accusations are true, he SHOULD be arrested and tried for his crimes. Sadly, one reason many of those cases never came to trial all those years ago, was because the parents of the boys didn't want to put them through a public trial. I believe parents today would be more interested in getting the pervert off the streets.
>> “Hope these perverts get some HELL on earth before they go to the Hell they obviously don’t believe in” <<
.
Jesus Christ is who they obviously don’t believe in. No man that believes in Christ could possibly allow themselves to be called “priest,” or “father.”
That door has been standing open since 1787.
It’s not been a huge issue.
It does let a few insects fly in now and again.
I’m pretty sure there will be no shortage of Hell on Earth to go around in the next 7(?) years.
I think we are looking at different doors, you are seeing the jury nullification door. I am seeing the approval of vigilante justice door.
Or perhaps they are different sides of the same door?
she is right, let the jury nullify it, she has a duty to prosecute the guy
“I think we are looking at different doors, you are seeing the jury nullification door. I am seeing the approval of vigilante justice door.”
Considering how “the justice system” has been deteriorating in the past 40-50 years, perhaps it’s time for more “vigilante justice”.
My opinion only.
I realize yours is different.
One time when I was called up for jury duty the pool was asked whether any of us had heard of jury nullification. I raised my hand and the lawyer (I think it was the prosecutor but it might have been the defense attorney) asked what I knew about it. I gave a long enough answer that he made a smartass comment that maybe I was on the wrong side of the rail. I wasn't invited back for the actual trial even though I started in the top 12.
I've heard that the whole voir dire process was started before the Civil War to locate and remove jurors who were abolitionists on fugitive slave law trials because they had a tendency to vote not guilty no matter what the facts were.
Perhaps not so much.
My main concern isn't vigilantism, per se, but unrestrained vigilantism.
The system IS broken, justice must be served, but too err to far the other way is no improvement.
And then some!
It’s good that you had a chance to speak up where it counts, in the courts. I have a funny feeling that it felt...liberating.
As SuzyQ said, too many parents sought to ‘spare’ their children the ‘ordeal’ of court when in fact it can be a very positive experience.
I’m sorry nobody believed you jcon. That seems to be a common ingredient in the child abuse package. And I hope that the court DID believe you, and that the rest of your life is rewarding.
It’s good that you had a chance to speak up where it counts, in the courts. I have a funny feeling that it felt...liberating.
As SuzyQ said, too many parents sought to ‘spare’ their children the ‘ordeal’ of court when in fact it can be a very positive experience.
I’m sorry nobody believed you jcon. That seems to be a common ingredient in the child abuse package. And I hope that the court DID believe you, and that the rest of your life is rewarding.
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